“Ladies. Gorgeous as ever.” He smiled at her before turning toward Harper to ask about her arm. Bill was a good friend to both of them. At first, he’d seemed interested in her, but she’d felt nothing but friendship. Then she thought he might be interested in Harper, but they remained only friends as well. Now, the three would spend time together without the pressure of trying to avoid the topic of dating. As he and Harper chatted, she lifted her gaze into the mirror behind the bar once more.
Rory was still standing to the side, talking with his friends. Suddenly, his head turned and his eyes met hers in the reflection. She considered playing it cool, but her wide smile slipped across her face. Thrilled when he started walking over, she took another fortifying sip of her drink.
“Hello.”
His deep voice moved over her, and she glanced over her shoulder, meeting his gaze full-on. “Well, hello.”
He turned slightly to greet Harper and Bill before shifting his body toward her. The bar was already crowded, but he maneuvered between her barstool and the person on the other side. He stood close while maintaining space between them. “Would it sound bad if I told you that I’ve been looking forward to this since the last time we met?” he asked.
“Hmmm, I’m afraid I don’t know you well enough to know if that’s a true statement or pickup line,” she said smoothly, cocking her head to the side, holding his gaze.
“Oh, it’s a true statement. If I was going to use a pickup line, I’d come up with something very classic… or cheesy.”
Lifting an eyebrow, she waited until Torin set Rory’s beer onto the bar and he’d taken a sip. “So, what kind of pickup line would you use?”
“Well, let’s see.” He appeared to think, then his lips quirked upward on one side. “Are you a magician? Because when I look at you, everyone else disappears.”
“Oh, is that the best you can do? I think I can come up with one better than that!” she laughed.
“Okay, go for it.”
She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “I may not be a genie, but I can make your dreams come true.”
“Damn, girl. Okay, okay, let me come up with a good one. Um… Do you have a pencil? Because I want to erase your past and write our future.”
“If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together.”
Grinning wider, he snapped back, “I wish I was crosseyed so I could see you twice.”
She had just taken a sip of her drink when she snorted, sputtered, then began coughing. As she tried to suck in a breath, his smile dropped, and he immediately patted her back gently until she regained the ability to breathe.
“Sandy, are you okay?” he asked, his face full of concern.
The sound of her name from his lips and whiskey-smooth voice curled around her, easing her breathing. Nodding, she blushed but continued to chuckle. “Death by pickup line. You got me with that last one. I can’t even think of another line.”
“Then how about I give you one for good measure,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “My buddies bet me that I wouldn’t be able to start a conversation with the hottest person in the bar. How about I buy you a drink with their money?”
Her mouth dropped open as her eyes widened. “I gotta hand it to you, that one’s a winner.”
He jerked back slightly, holding her gaze. “So, you’ll let me buy you a drink?”
Nodding slowly, she tapped her perfectly manicured fingernail against her now empty glass and winked. “I’ve only had one, but I can handle another.”
“How about before that drink, I entice you to a dance?”
The idea of moving around to music while close to him was exactly what she’d love to do. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she grinned up at him. “That you can definitely entice me with.”
“Good to know.”
She’d been so engrossed in her flirting with Rory that she hadn’t realized Harper and Bill were staring at her. Harper was smiling, but Bill had a speculative expression. Before she had a chance to give more thought to her friends’ reactions, Harper slid from her stool and said, “I’m going to head home. I’ve got an early day tomorrow, and Bill said he’d drop me off.” Leaning closer, she offered a hug and whispered, “Are you going to be okay?”
Sandy squeezed her best friend and nodded. “Don’t worry about me. I like him, but you know I’ll go home alone.”
Harper leaned back, her eyes searching, and nodded also. “Talk to you tomorrow.”
Turning back to Rory, she glanced at his outstretched hand and smiled. As his hand wrapped around her fingers, he assisted her from the barstool. He slapped some money onto the bar, and she grinned when he maintained the hold on her hand as they greeted others while weaving through the crowd.
Once they made their way to the small area for dancing near the back, she lifted her hands into the air, her Lemon Drop giving her just enough of a buzz to enjoy the beat of the music while focusing her attention on Rory. She loved to dance and had no doubt he noticed her moves as his appreciative gaze moved from the top of her head down to her stiletto heels and back, settling on her eyes. She mentally added bonus points to him for his gaze not lingering on her breasts.
Her clothing was carefully chosen to compliment her features but was never slutty—and never showed too much skin. “A lady should always know the difference between beauty and desperation.” She shook her head to dislodge her grandmother’s words, but as the main female in her life as a child, the southern matriarch’s teachings were firmly implanted.
She glanced down at her clothes. Coming from work, her light grey pencil skirt ended just above her knee, and the pink silk blouse exposed no cleavage. Generally, that
